MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik on Monday predicted a 'miracle' in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, saying opposition unity will bring the Modi government down in the next national elections.
Malik made the comments a day after BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took a dig at the NCP over its ''dreams of its president Sharad Pawar becoming the prime minister" and mocked that the party had not even won 10 Lok Sabha seats (in 2019 Lok Sabha polls).
Fadnavis made the remark while speaking to a news channel in response to a question that the NCP leaders are pitching for Pawar as the prime minister.
Speaking to reporters here, Minority Affairs Minister Malik categorically said neither Pawar himself nor the NCP has anywhere claimed the veteran leader will become prime minister in 2024.
"Pawar saheb or the NCP has nowhere claimed that Pawar saheb will become PM in 2024. Rather, Pawar saheb will bring together all the opposition parties in the country and the opposition unity will dethrone the Modi government," Malik said.
The NCP national spokesperson said 'miracle' occurs whenever the BJP leader criticises the Pawar-led party.
Malik said Fadnavis had claimed ahead of the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls that the era of Pawar's politics was over.
"I think chamatkar (miracle) occurs whenever Devendra ji criticises Pawar saheb. He had said ahead of the (2019) Assembly polls that Pawar saheb's politics was over. So, whenever he speaks, some or the other chamtkar takes place and we will ensure chamatkar in 2024 too," Malik added.
The NCP is a key constituent of the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, of which the Congress is the third ally.
Pawar is considered the chief architect of the three-party ruling alliance in Maharashtra.